Aug 31 4 Secrets to Capturing & Editing Your Insta-Worthy Adventures

You've probably realized by now that having a pretty Instagram is harder than you could have ever imaged. You want it, your heart is in it, you try so hard but when you capture the beauty around you to share with your followers and your photos always come out less than exciting to say the least. I've been there, i've done that and to be honest, I am still trying to suss out all the kinks and perfect this cultural art. But being a professional photographer gives me a little bit of a leg up and I am so excited to share my secrets with you!

1)Don't use social media apps to capture photos. Shooting in apps such as Snapchat or Instagram lowers quality, crops, and restricts your future edits. You also are unable to take multiple photos quickly. I recommend using Camera+, VSCO, or simply just your standard camera app. These apps offer more advanced options like white balance control and minor exposure adjustments that make a huge a difference in your photo quality.

2)Composition: Symmetry is appealing but not all photographs are meant to be symmetrical. Placing the subject in the direct center is an easy go to so mix it up! Try shooting off-center using the rule of thirds (grid shown above).

Use your eye and get creative! Think of unique angles, climb high, get low. Take lots of photos. You almost never get that "Insta-Worthy"shot right away. Around 10 takes in, you start getting those fun candids that are my personal favorite to post.

3)Lighting: One word, "Goldenhour". The beautiful soft lighting that comes with the sunrise and sunset. My favorite time to shoot (mostly because I am NOT a morning person) is in the late afternoon. I find that it makes photographing easy and brings out beautiful colors even before I upload into VSCO.

Tips & Tricks: -Never use flash -Avoid harsh shadows, shoot in the shade -Overcast days are the best photography days

4)Simple & consistent editing: iPhone/Android photos are not always the most stunning photographs right off the back but luckily there are a handful of amazing apps that help enhance your photo to a whole other level. Here is a photo I took on my phone on an adventure through Australia. I love this shot but when I first saw it I almost trashed it. Below is the original image without and cropping or retouching:

The original shot doesn't even show off how epic this location was! It's naturally underexposed and just average. Luckily I gave it a chance, put it through VSCO, and magic happened. Here is my secret VSCO editing process:

-Choose a VSCO filter: My faves are A5 & A6

-Shadow save: Iphones & Androids love to underexpose. Bringing your shadows back brings detail back into your photographs. I brought my shadows up +3 and it lit up the whole skyline.

-Shadow tint: To add extra mood and make your edits overall match, I add a bit of tint. I love using pinks, purples and blues that add a cooler tone to my page.

-Exposure & contrast: The most important edits you must apply to any photo! The amount varies per photo and exposure (I used +3 exposure +2 contrast). This takes your flat/no contrast phone photo and makes it pop!

It's as easy as that. Keep it simple, stay consistent, and your Instagram will have an instant upgrade. Apply all these tips and tricks while you capture your Labor Day Weekend adventures. XX

Threads "Get it girl." Your average pretty picture-taker, hair color experimenter, secret dog-whisperer, wearer of anything fuzzy. You can find me on a mountainside with a camera in each hand or behind a computer bringing imagination to life.

Threads "Get it girl." Your average pretty picture-taker, hair color experimenter, secret dog-whisperer, wearer of anything fuzzy. You can find me on a mountainside with a camera in each hand or behind a computer bringing imagination to life.